Roxy
by Sweetwater Gal
Summary: Set after the movie... what could come between Loki & Bartleby?... R for language, but not as worst as Jay's!...maybe...
1. Before Roxy...

ROXY

A/N and DISCLAIMER: Alright NONE, I repeat, NONE of these characters mentioned belong to me. Only technically Bethany's daughter, Roxy, belong to me. And please, try not to flame me if I happen to offend anyone with some of my jokes poking fun and adding my own two sense in at Pop Culture (i.e. Harry Potter and N Sync). This story is all in good fun and pure enjoyment, so if one knows that one will be highly offended say if I make fun of Justin Timberlake, just leave. Please just leave and save us the time and trouble of you flaming me and me getting pissed at you and flaming you back. Thank You and Have A Nice Day.  
  


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CHAPTER ONE: Before Roxy...

  
Somewhere between time and space between heaven and earth two lone creatures are sitting down, contemplating over their recent actions. One would assume that they were the best of friends, just by the way that they are comfortable around each other if only one knew of what went down between them  
  
"Loki, I—" The tall, dark hair one began, glancing at his blond hair friend.  
  
However  
  
"Don't talk to me." The shorter of the two replied, his tone of voice very angered and obviously pissed off.  
  
"But I didn't mean to—" His friend began again. Desperation was in his voice, wanting to mend what was left of their broken friendship.  
  
"Not listening to you" He replied, crossing his arms and turning around.  
  
Bartleby, the angel with the dark hair, sighed. He could always count on Loki, the former angel of death, to be as stubborn as an ass.  
  
"Still pissed that I killed you?" Bartleby asked, still trying to get through to Loki.  
  
"That you fuckin' literally stabbed me in the back?" Loki turned to Bartleby, his eyes eerily calm. He paused for a second to consider, then spat out with his eyes blazing, "Well, what the fuck do you think?!"  
  
Silence falls on them for a moment. Then  
  
"Actually, I stabbed you on the side. By your rib cage" Bartleby recalled to his friend, a small smile on his face.  
  
"Damn wise-ass." Loki glares, muttering at him.   
  
"Hey!" Bartleby began to protest, growing frustrated at Loki. "At least your death was quick! I still have a faint ringing in my ear!"  
  
"Well good for you, you fuck! I'm glad that your fuckin' head exploded due to the sound of God's powerful voice. You didn't have to go all anal over the Last Scion having to kill us, but no you decided to off every innocent within sight! Including the Last Scion!" Loki shot back.  
  
"She didn't die, Loki." He pointed out. "And besides, she's technically not the Last Scion anymore."  
  
"You know what I fuckin' mean, you anal retentive ass hole!"  
  
"You can't be anal retentive if you—"  
  
"Oh shut-up!" Loki growled, tiring of his friend's attempt to make him smile.  
  
"Look, I'm sorry! I don't know what came over me! Can't you at least forgive me?" He placed a brotherly hand on Loki's shoulder, only to have it slapped away by him. Bartleby sighed, then pointed towards the heavens, "C'mon, Loki! She did."  
  
"That's because God's the forgiving type! She has to!" Loki indicated upwards. Then he pointed to himself as he continued with, " I on the other hand was your best friend! Knowing me well enough, you will find that I'm not exactly the forgiving type!"  
  
"Hey, man. I let you fire on those Mooby executives. That should fuckin' count for something!" Bartleby's eyes blazed, growing frustrated yet again.  
  
"How many times do I have to tell you?! They were fuckin' commandment breakers! I was just taking out the trash, punishing the wicked"  
  
Bartleby sighed, and interrupted him, "Raining down fire and brimstone, yeah, yeah, yeah. Haven't I heard this rant before?"  
  
Silence follows again. Then  
  
Loki softly added, "Well, did I make you watch?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Then stop it with the third degree. At least those deaths were called for." Loki managed to lighten his tone, causing Bartleby to hope that maybe their friendship could be salvaged.  
  
"Maybe." He shrugged, yet a small smile was on his face.  
  
"Maybe?" Loki's eyes widened incredulously. He came back with, "This coming from the guy that went postal over the Last Scion, killed a whole group of New Jersey clergy members, not to mention a lot of innocents, basically turning that church into a place of blood bath, and"  
  
Bartleby sighed deeply, protesting to Loki, "Don't replay those hours on me, okay? I now know the error of my ways, alright? I just wanted to go home, as did you. When she let it slip that she had to stop us, just when we were so close, I guess I went psycho. I really didn't mean to kill so many people. Especially you. And I'm sorry." He looked at his friend straight in the eyes, sincerely adding, "Really sorry."  
  
Loki allowed Bartleby's words to sink in. He then shrugs, "You know, Bartleby. At least we're not fuckin' damned like that bastard Azreal. Shit, if I ever get my hands on that backward ass fuck"  
  
Bartleby smiled, "So what? You insinuating that it's a good thing that we've been placed for all eternity in limbo between Heaven and Hell?"  
  
"Insinuating?" He pauses to think it over. Then replied, "Maybe."  
  
Loki looks over at Bartleby, "At least I'm not alone."  
  
He holds out his hand to Bartleby, "Not saying that I fully forgive you. I mean, my side fuckin' hurts like shit"  
  
Bartleby smiles at him as he takes his friend's hand and shakes it. He then slyly replies, "Hey, y'know you still owe me ten bucks over that bet."  
  
Loki stares at him, incredulously. He groaned, "Will you give it some damn time! I'm telling you, years from now, everyone will fuckin' forget about that stupid alien movie and Krush Groove will be forever idolized!"  
  
"In your dreams, Loki! The day that happens is the day that Bill Clinton takes his priestly vows."  
  
"Fuck you, Bartleby" Loki mutters, turning away, yet a small grin was apparent on his face.  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  


  
"You gotta be kiddin' me!" She exclaimed, staring at him with disbelief. The Muse turned to the person sitting besides her, his face also mirroring her shock.  
  
"It's a fuckin' joke, right?" The person next to the Muse asked.  
  
"Well you know Her and Her quirky sense of humor" The Voice sighed. The Metatron, the highest of angels, also known as the Voice of God, rolled his eyes as the two beings gaped at him with total shock. "Y'know, your faces will most likely freeze like that and so far, the sight of you two like that isn't at all attractive."  
  
Serendipity, the Muse, murmured a quick prayer as she closed her eyes. She couldn't believe the news that Metatron told her and Rufus, the Thirteenth Apostle.  
  
"Why him?! Of all the angels that God has up here, why him?!" Rufus snapped. Not only was he stunned over the news, but also a bit fearful of what might happen if something goes wrong. "I mean, damn! He's not even an angel now! When he died, his fuckin' wings were cut off!"  
  
"Rufus is right, Metatron. So technically, he isn't an angel anymore."  
  
"That is true but according to the Lord, She believes that because of his sudden change of heart, Loki might be a good angel for this very role."  
  
"But sending the former Angel of Death to be Bethany's child's sole guardian angel is like sending a reformed psychopath to baby-sit the United State's President's daughter! You're asking for shit to fly, Metatron!" Serendipity exclaimed.  
  
"Look," Metatron tried to reason with the two. "We all can bitch and moan about this whole situation but we have no official right to change this. What God says goes. Whether we like it or not."  
  
"So why'd you tell us knowing that we would bitch about it?" Rufus asked, still not liking the situation.  
  
"Because if I had told you after we had sent Loki down to earth without telling before hand, I'd most likely hear you two bitch about it from now until eternity! I'd rather hear your rants first instead of later. Might as well get it bloody over it!"  
  
"Well why Loki? I mean granted that Bartleby attempted to kill Bethany, but at least Bartleby had a bigger heart and a sensitive stomach compared to Loki." Serendipity inquired.  
  
"Shit, bastard couldn't even watch Loki work when he was the Angel of Death." Rufus pointed out.  
  
"Because God has other plans for Bartleby" The Metatron replied mysteriously. He got up, then said, "Well I'm off. Gotta break the news to them."  
  
"What the hell does other plans' mean?" Rufus turned to Serendipity as they watched Metatron leave.  
  
"How should I know? She's the only being that I don't give ideas to and the only being that I wished I did" The Muse replied.  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  


"Do you really want to make a twenty dollar bet that Joey and Rachel from Friends' will hook up? Are you stoned?" Bartleby turned to Loki, surprised.  
  
"Fuck you, man! I'm telling you, Ross will leave Rachel and the baby for a blond bombshell, and Joey will be there to pick up the pieces! I mean, come on! Joey's the man!"  
  
"But what about Phoebe? Joey's dedicated to her more than anyone." Bartleby reasoned, only making Loki more mad.  
  
"Look, dude who the hell would you rather fuck"  
  
Bartleby gave Loki a look, which caused him to rephrase his words.  
  
"I mean, say if we had dicks who'd you fuck Lisa Kudrow or Jennifer Aniston?"  
  
Bartleby thought for a moment, then answered, "Aniston."  
  
"Exactly! Rachel's fuckin' hot! Shit, if I were Joey, I'd say kill off Ross and marry Rachel."  
  
"Yeah yeah you're the only one though."  
  
"Now that's where you're wrong, my friend." Loki argued. "I have it on good authority that there are a number of Joey/Rachel fans out there."  
  
"And what authority is that?"  
  
"By ways of the Internet." Loki shrugged.  
  
"What the fuck is the Internet?"  
  
Loki and Bartleby pause, meeting each other's eyes. Then they turn towards us readers via internet giving us this small shrug and a smile.  
  
"You know," Bartleby began again, "You are as rabidly insane about this as you are about that stupid idea about Harry Potter and Hermione Granger hooking up!"  
  
Loki's eyes began flashing dangerously, "Oh don't you fuckin' start, Bartleby"  
  
"Harry and Hermione is as insane as Joey and Rachel!" Bartleby declared, causing Loki to jump straight out of his place.  
  
"What the fuck?! I told you, man, not to fuckin' start with me!"  
  
Bartleby just snickered, his posture calm. "Some angel's got his panty wings tied up in a bunch"  
  
Loki started pacing, ranting and raving. All the while, Bartleby just sat lazily in his seat, watching his friend with content amusement.  
  
This would have gone on for at least a good two hours if a certain "voice" had not entered the scene.  
  
"Now what exactly are you bitching about today, Loki? It better not be about some 'Harry Potter' nonsense again"  
  
Loki and Bartleby turned to the approaching voice surprised that it indeed belong to the Metatron.  
  
"Does ranting about why Hermione should date Harry instead of Ron Weasley count?" Bartleby smirked, just as Loki took a seat.  
  
Loki glared at him, and was about to comment, when Metatron interrupted with a sigh, "Good heavens, not that rant again I've already had enough of that stupid debate up in heaven between a great deal of the other angels!"  
  
Loki perked up, "Really? So what's the majority's take, huh?"  
  
Bartleby ribbed Loki, glaring at him to silence. Loki winced and returned Bartleby's glare. The Metatron only sighed again, rubbing his temples at the two former angels.  
  
"Shit, Bartleby what the fuck did you do now?" Loki whispered.  
  
"I do one fuckin' act of disobedience and now I'm the one always getting us into trouble?!" Bartleby snapped at Loki.  
  
"Shit, man, I'm not the one that tried to kill the Last Scion."  
  
"Fuck, man! How many times do I have to apologize for that?! I'm sorry! What? That makes that five thousand?!"  
  
"Enough!" Metatron boomed, causing the pair to cease. He rubbed his temples again, "Damned it if I'm getting a migraine from you two."  
  
He sighed, then, "Okay, listen up I'm down here visiting you two because God has decided to kick you two out of limbo. So pack up boys, you're moving on down"  
  
"What?!" They both exclaimed, fear in their voices and eyes.  
  
"Holy shit, don't tell us She's sending us to Hell?!" Bartleby exclaimed.  
  
"No, no, She's not." Metatron assured them. He turned to Loki, "You are to be sent to earth as Bethany's daughter's personal guardian angel."  
  
"I am?" Loki's eyes widened, completely amazed. A smile emerged on his face, "Really?"  
  
"He is?" Bartleby was just as stunned. "Why?"  
  
"No, my friend. I think you should be asking why not'." Loki smirked.  
  
"Okay" Bartleby began, "Why not me?"  
  
Loki glared at Bartleby, only to receive a smirk from the Metatron.  
  
"Bartleby, you are also given a second chance, just like Loki."  
  
"Oh don't fuckin' tell me that I have to play guardian angel over those two wasted stoners, Jay and Silent Bob!" Fear and annoyance was evident in Bartleby's voice.  
  
At the mention of the two prophets, Loki's eyes widened with delight. "Hey, if you are, man, reconsider! Bartleby can watch over the Last Scion and I can watch over Jay and Bob!"  
  
"No, Bartleby you won't be their guardian angel God help whomever are assigned to those two" Metatron sighed. "No you will be going to earth for a totally different reason."  
  
Metatron snapped his fingers, causing Bartleby to suddenly disappear.  
  
Loki jumped, startled at his friend's disappearance. "Holy shit! Where the fuck did he go?!"  
  
"To earth" Metatron replied simply. He placed at hand on Loki's shoulder, guiding him away. "Okay, now your turn. Any minute now, Bethany will be giving birth to a young girl. From now until the day she dies, you will be there to watch and protect her. You got that? Or do I need you to take notes?"  
  
"Y'know," Loki regarded the Metatron. "One of the good things I'm looking forward to this assignment is that I don't have to take in your fuckin' droll sense of humor anymore. No offense, Metatron."  
  
"None takin' I don't have to hear your nasty mouth anymore."  
  
"Hey! I'm a breath of fresh air compared to Jay!"  
  
"Unfortunately"  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Alrighty then... should I or should I not continue? Give me... say five to ten reasons why I should (IOW... five to ten reviews). If not, then I guess I shall go back to the drawing boards... *sigh*... til then, I'll just be making bets over which couple will avenge... Clark and Lana or Lex and Lana (from Smallville)... any bets? Huh? Anyone?


	2. The Arrival of Roxy and Benjamin Holden

A/N and DISCLAIMER: Again, NONE and I mean NONE of the characters belong to me... except maybe Roxy. Oh, and in my story, a lot of Kevin Smith's View Askew characters are involved. According to my story; Holden, Brodie, and Randal are first cousins. 

And a BIG WARNING: Loki and Randal go through a big twisted personality change... so unless one does not like seeing their favorite former Angel of Death going all sweet and stuff, this is just a WARNING about what's to come...

And to Dogma's Angel... alright, don't hurt Harry... put the knife down *slowy*... I don't want you to get mobbed by a lot of Potter fanatics!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ROXY

CHAPTER TWO: The Arrival of Roxy and Benjamin Holden

To be honest, Loki wasn't looking forward to having to spend the next few decades watching over Bethany's daughter. As he stood to the side, unaware to everyone present in the delivery room, during the first few minutes before her birth, Loki just stared off aimlessly.  
  
Most of his mind was on the mysterious whereabouts of Bartleby. Where the hell could his friend be?  
  
It was then that it happened it was at that moment that he first heard her.  
  
"Congratulations, Ms. Bethany Sloan. You have yourself a healthy baby girl." The doctor laid a very beautiful little creature in Bethany's arms.  
  
Loki turned to the young child, and was suddenly washed with an immediate sense of awe and love?  
  
"Roxanne" Bethany smiled at her little girl. "I want to name her Roxanne."  
  
Loki found himself smiling at Roxanne, slowly moving a bit closer to the squirming child. With a lot of hesitation, he reached out to Roxanne. Lightly, he caressed her cheek and was completely touched by her innocence.  
  
Suddenly, Loki jumped back, startled. Roxanne had turned her gaze off of her mother, and was looking directly at Loki, and smiled.  
  
Loki was stunned. "You see me, don't you, Roxy?" He softly asked, still smiling at her.  
  
It was amazing, and yet completely terrifying to the former Angel of Death. He wasn't used to love and yet at this moment, he was completely taken away by this lovely girl. "Man," He shook his head and chuckled, "If only Bartleby could see me now. Bet the bastard would be laughing his ass off at me" He met eyes with Roxanne, then said, "But you know what, Roxy? Screw him I don't care"  
  
Roxanne kept her eyes on Loki, causing him to smile even wider, and love her even more.  
  
Softly, "I don't care"  


  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  


THREE DAYS LATER SOMEWHERE IN NEW JERSEY  
  
Alyssa Jones was humming to the little person in her arms. She smiled lovingly at him, "Do you know just how much you mean to me, little one?"  
  
"Knock, knock"  
  
Alyssa looked up, and smiled at the face before her. "Hey, sis."  
  
"Aww there he is!" Trisha Jones smiled at her sister, then turned to her new nephew. "Can I hold him, Alyssa?"  
  
"Sure" Alyssa held out her son to her little sister. As she placed her son in Trisha's arms, she asked her, "Hey, is Randal still warming up Ben's formula?"  
  
At the call of his name, Randal Graves appeared, closely followed by his cousin Brodie Bruce.  
  
"Hey Trish the Dish" Brodie snickered, causing himself to receive looks from Alyssa, Trisha, and even from Randal. "What?"  
  
"Dude, not in front of the newborn." Randal hissed, then he turned to Alyssa. "Here's the milk, Alyssa."  
  
Alyssa smiled kindly at Randal. At first, she was as shocked as everyone by Randal's sudden "kindness and sensitivity". Especially since it was mostly turned towards Alyssa's son.  
  
Brodie, Dante Hicks, and even Jay (especially Jay) joked it as being the closest homosexual tendency Randal will admit up to loving a little boy. However, Randal only classifies it as making up for his cousin Holden McNeil's stupidity. After all, the little boy was not only Holden's but now he's a part of Randal's family.  
  
"Hey Randal, aren't you supposed to be working at RST Videos today?" Trisha asked, cradling little Benjamin Holden Jones.  
  
Alyssa, Brodie, and Randal gave Trisha this look as they all replied, "Look who you're asking."  
  
"Besides, I can't exactly stay away from this little guy for long. Right, Benny boy?" Randal smiled at him.  
  
"Holy shit the world is coming to an end." Brodie smirked, "When Randal fuckin' Graves, who is ever the damn wise ass, goes soft you know that the end is near."  
  
"Hey, hey, hey. No swearing in front of Ben." Alyssa slapped Brodie.  
  
"Well you might as well start the kid young, Lyssa. I mean, look whom he has for uncles?" Brodie smiled, indicating to himself and Randal.  
  
"Not if his aunts can help it!" Trisha hissed.  
  
Alyssa and Randal rolled their eyes, knowing that once Trisha snaps at Brodie, it starts off into a chain reaction of bantering between the two. Alyssa quickly swooped her son out of Trisha's grasp, allowing her sister to begin bitching at Brodie.  
  
"Man, if your sister is this catty with Brodie, keep her away from Banky." Randal commented, following Alyssa into the living room of her small two bedroom apartment.  
  
"Too late" Alyssa sighed, gently holding her three days old son.  
  
"So" Randal sat down, staring at little Ben, then up at Alyssa. "When are you going to let Holden know about Ben?"  
  
Alyssa softly sighed again, then turned to look at Randal. "After that meeting at the Con, when he showed me his new comic Chasing Amy' seeing him brought back so much emotions that I wanted to deny again" She looked down at Ben, loving her son with all her heart. "We both decided that the one night of forgotten passion we had will be the very last time we will see each other"  
  
"You still love him?" Randal asked, shifting a bit uncomfortably. He was always uncomfortable when it came to the subject of love.  
  
"I won't deny that I do and each moment I spend with Ben, I love his father even more but I will not go back to him unless he's ready"  
  
Randal nodded. He would say more, but that might result in sending Alyssa to tears. He just wasn't good with crying women. Instead, he regarded the little boy in her arms.   
  
Thoughtfully, he said, "Y'know he's gonna look like Holden one day"  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  


  
MEANWHILE...  
  
"You've got to be kiddin' me!" Remarked the Thirteenth Apostle.  
  
"Unfortunately for Her quirky sense of humor" Sighed Serendipity.  
  
"So let me get this straight" Rufus began, "God sent Loki to be Roxanne's angel and then God sent Bartleby to be born in human form as Alyssa Jones' son, Benjamin Holden?!" He shook his head ruefully, "Talk about a fuckin' twisted sense of humor."  
  
"Hey Rufus, Serendipity!" A lanky angel made his way towards the Thirteenth Apostle and Serendipity. His eyes were shining with excitement, "A couple of us Watchers are pooling together to bet against the Choirs"  
  
"What's the bet about?" Rufus asked the lanky Watcher.  
  
"Which will do better in the Box Office: Not Another Teen Movie or On the Line we've got the teen movie"  
  
"Which teen movie?" Rufus commented, "Hell, they've both got teenyboppers written all over them!"  
  
"No," The Watcher shook his head, "We're betting on Not Another Teen Movie"  
  
"Hello, Rufus!" Serendipity smirked, "It's kind of obvious that the Choirs would bet on On the Line there's those two guys from that boy band"  
  
"O-Town?"  
  
"No, Rufus. That other Florida group"  
  
"The one with that band member that went to rehab? Shit, that dude's alright!" Rufus grinned.  
  
"No, Apostle. The Muse means the guys from N Sync!"  
  
"You mean the group that has the guy with the kid?"  
  
"No that's the other guy! From 98 degrees." The Watcher commented.  
  
"No, he's right" Serendipity stepped in.  
  
"Oh wait a minute" Realization was slowly sinking in, "That's the group that has Britney Spears' bitch!"  
  
"Exactly!" Serendipity grinned.  
  
The three heavenly beings stopped paused and then turned to face an "unknown audience" that is us! They shrug apologetically with a small grins.  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  


  
MEANWHILE, BACK TO THE STORY TEN YEARS LATER  
  
"Roxy? Roxanne?" He peered into the closet, trying his best to keep from laughing as he heard the young woman's faint giggling from within. "Roxy Marie Sloan" His voice sang out as he reached over to switch on the closet room light.  
  
As the small space quickly became illuminated, his eyes rested upon the light of his life.  
  
Her brown eyes gazed up at him with such childhood innocence that it completely tugged at his heart. She grinned joyously at him as she jumped up and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Loki!"  
  
He wrapped his arms around her, carrying her and returning the hug. "I told ya that I'd find ya!"  
  
Roxanne Marie Sloan giggled, then placed a quick kiss on his forehead. "Yes you did!"  
  
Loki placed the sweet ten year old down, and gave her a kind kiss on her forehead.   
  
"Roxanne!"  
  
Loki and Roxy met eyes, and knew immediately what to do. Roxanne dashed over to her desk, while Loki quietly moved to the side just as Roxanne's mother, Bethany Sloan, entered her daughter's room.  
  
"Roxy?"  
  
Bethany gazed over at her little girl, who was busy at her desk writing. She smiled at her, "Hey there, baby"  
  
Roxanne looked up, and sent her mother a loving smile. "Hey mommy!"  
  
"What are you doing, sweetheart?" She stood behind Roxanne, gave her a kiss on the cheek, then reached over for a brush and began combing Roxanne's long brown hair.  
  
"Just drawing" Roxanne briefly gazed up, looking intently outside at something or so her mother believed.  
  
"What do you see, honey?" Beth asked, having caught her daughter's actions.  
  
Roxanne flustered, "Oh a bird, mommy I, uh, saw a bird" Again, her daughter looked up at the window, then turned her gaze back down.  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  


Loki felt a tinge of guilt run through him as he regarded both mother and daughter. He knew that Roxy wasn't really looking outside she was looking at him through the window's reflection.  
  
For ten years now, he's been by Roxanne's side. Wasn't that a part of the job description? To be there for little Roxy? Plus, he could not help but be by her side 24/7. Loki hasn't felt this needed since well, since God first assigned him as the Angel of Death. The only difference here was that he was not ending a life he was taking care and loving one. He was taking care and loving Roxanne.  
  
He was extremely stunned that God allowed him to be seen by Roxy. Loki always thought that guardian angels were supposed to just watch, and not become a part of their charge's life. Yet here he was, becoming a big part of Roxanne's life!  
  
Honestly, Loki had no complaints. As long as he was with her, he was one happy angel. However, he also knew that his presence was causing Roxanne to keep a secret from her mother. He didn't want Roxy to lie, but how would Beth react to him being there for their Roxanne? The same Loki that she once remembered for wanting to kill people and almost causing the end of all things!  
  
That was another thing that he was afraid of. What if Beth were to one day tell Roxanne all about him and Bartleby? How would Roxanne react? He couldn't bear the thought of his Roxy hating him.  
  
"Mommy?  
  
Loki returned his attention to Roxy. He regarded her with quiet kindness.  
  
"Yes, sweetie?" Beth replied, completely unaware of Loki's presence.  
  
"Do you believe in guardian angels?"  
  
Loki's eyes widened. His heart began to race as he began panicking and praying that Roxy won't reveal him to Beth.  
  
Beth fell silent, thinking about how to respond.  
  
Loki just stood in his place, knowing that if he began to pace, Roxy would know that something was wrong.  
  
"Well, sweetie" Beth began, "Yes. I believe in guardian angels." She smiled at Roxanne. "Why do you ask, honey?"  
  
"Because" Roxy grinned innocently, causing Loki's heart to lurch. He knew what his little one's going to say next.  
  
"Because I have a guardian angel!"  
  
"You do?" Beth looked down at Roxanne.  
  
"Yes." She said quite simply. "His name's—"  
  
RRRIIINNNGGG!!!  
  
Loki gazed up, breathing a big sigh of relief, and uttering a grateful "Thank You." As he glanced up, he heard the faint voice of the Metatron "You're welcome"  
  
Beth glanced out in the hall, then turned to her daughter. "I'm sorry, sweetie. Mommy's gonna have to answer that, okay?"  
  
"Alright, mom." Roxanne replied, then turned her head to smile up at Loki, though Beth perceived that the smile was meant for her.  
  
Once Beth left the room, Loki quickly knelt down and faced Roxanne. "Roxy," He began.  
  
"Yes, Loki?" Her eyes shined at him, full of youth and innocence.  
  
"Honey, I know you want to tell your mommy about me" He placed one hand on her knee, and he took her small hand with his other hand. "But not now, okay?"  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because" He tried to find the right words, without having to lie to her. "Honey, your mommy just can't know, alright? Not yet later on"  
  
"Loki? Are you okay?" She asked, gently placing a hand on his forehead.  
  
He smiled brightly at her, "I'm okay, sweetie."  
  
"But you look pale."  
  
How could Loki explain to her that the reason why he was pale was because he was afraid that she might tell Beth about him?  
  
"I'm just tired, Rox."  
  
"Then you should get some rest." She told him matter of factly.  
  
Loki chuckled, "Yes. Maybe I should."  
  
"I'll see you tonight then." Roxanne smiled, "You go back to heaven to sleep and I'll see you later."  
  
Loki laughed, "Okay, boss!" He got up, and was about to leave when Roxanne called him back down again.  
  
"Loki! Wait!"  
  
Loki turned around, then knelt back to her level. "Yes, Roxy?"  
  
Roxanne leaned forward, and gave Loki a quick light kiss on the lips. With such childlike wonder, "I love you, Loki."  
  
His eyes were wide, stunned by her proclamation and the innocent kiss she gave him. Loki smiled softly at her, "I love ya too, kiddo."  
  
Roxy returned the smile, then turned back to her drawing.  
  
Loki watched her for a few seconds, then turned to leave. As he returned back to heaven, he couldn't help but wonder why and how far his growing affections for little Roxanne will take him.  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  


MEANWHILE NEW JERSEY QUICK STOP CONVIENCE STORE  
  
"Ben!"  
  
Benjamin Holden Jones spun around, broom in hand as he regarded the tall adult before him. He gulped, "Uh hi!"  
  
"What did I tell you, Ben?" Randal stepped up to him, snatching the broom from Ben's small hands.  
  
"But, it was an accident, uncle Randy! Honest!" He held up his hands in defense.   
  
"So what?" Randal turned towards the back room of the convenience store. "Hey, Dante! Get your ass out here!" He glanced at his nephew, and winked at him. Back to Dante, he called out, "I just saw some punk spill a jar of jellybeans all over the floor! I would've stopped him, but the kid just booked it out as soon as he saw me."  
  
"Aw shit!" Dante cried, making his way to the aisle that Randal and Ben were at. He glanced at the mess and sighed. To Randal and Ben, "Well, did you see what the brat look like?"  
  
Randal shrugged, "Beats me! Some Harry Potter look-a-like or something"  
  
Randal moved Ben and himself to the side, allowing Dante to grab the broom and clean up the "punk's mess."  
  
"Next time, Ben," Randal whispered to Ben, out of Dante's hearing proximity, "If you make a shit load of mess like this, don't bother cleaning it up yourself. That's why we got Dante over there. Hell, he works here. Got that?"  
  
"Got it!" Ben laughed softly.  
  
"Shit I'm not even suppose to be here today" Randal and Ben heard Dante curse as he was sweeping up.  
  
"You'd think that we'd be tired of you saying that by now." Randal quipped, causing himself to earn a glare from Dante.  
  
"Uncle Randal? What time did mommy say that uncle Brodie will pick me up?"  
  
"Well" Randal checked the wall clock, "According to your mother two hours from now." He glanced down at Ben, "Unfortunately, we're talking about Brodie Bruce, so he'll be around exactly seven hours from now."  
  
"Well, what about uncle Banky?"  
  
"Well" Randal squirmed uncomfortably, gazing briefly at Dante. Dante met eyes with him, also questioning how Randal will explain Banky's recent closet case scenario. "Well, Banky's busy today"  
  
"Doing what?"  
  
"Ah, well"  
  
"Hey, Ben! Think you can do ol' uncle Dante a favor?" Dante interrupted, approaching the two. He walked to the cash register, fishing out a couple of loose change. "Go out, and get a couple of newspapers for the stand, okay? You remember how I taught you?"  
  
Ben nodded, taking the change from Dante's hand, and dashed towards the door. Just as he was about to leave, Randal spoke up with caution.  
  
"Hey, Ben! If Jay approaches you, just tell that stoner to Fuck off.' Got that?"  
  
Ben gave his uncle a thumbs-up, grinning and headed out the door.  
  
As soon as Ben was out of sight, Randal shot Dante a grateful smile. He slapped his pal on the back, "Hey, thanks man!"  
  
"No prob, Randal."  
  
"Shit" He cursed, adjusting his backwards cap. "How can I explain to the kid about that closet case bastard when I'm as confused about it as he is?!"  
  
"Maybe" Dante began, "Maybe it's a subject that he should talk to his mother about seeing as she used to be lovingly referred to as Finger Cuffs.' Y'know?"  
  
Randal sighed again, and crossed his arms. "And fuck up his whole naïve view on life at the tender age of ten? Shit, that never even happened to me until I was twelve!"  
  
"Really?" Dante regarded his friend. "Huh I think I was nine"  
  
"Nine? Why am I not surprised?"  
  
"Fuck you." Dante glared at Randal.  
  
Randal was about to comment back when Ben entered the scene. "Hey Ben."  
  
"Uncle Randal" Ben walked over to the newsstand, placed down the stacks he brought back, "Jay told me to tell you" He handed the change back to Dante, then with precise memory, he repeated Jay's words, "That he's sorry that he forgot to give you and Dante your one year anniversary present. That he just didn't know what to get two fags who already had everything they've always wanted."  
  
Randal stalked behind the counter, picking up the phone. Steaming, "Those fucks just never learn, do they?"  
  
"What're you gonna do, Randal? You know that restraining order only goes as far as a hundred feet."  
  
Randal held up a finger, indicating for him to hold on for a moment. To the phone, "Oh, yes. Hello, this is Randal Graves again from Quick Stop Yeah, that's right, Jay and Silent Bob yeah, they're still out there selling drugs and this time they tried harassing my ten year old nephew"  
  
Ben glanced up at Dante, who only gave him a helpless shrug.  
  
Randal glanced at Ben, then, "Okay, sir. Just hold on a second while I get him."  
  
To Ben, "Hey Ben, tell this officer about Jay talking to you, okay?"  
  
Ben nodded, then took the phone from Randal. "Hello? Yes, he's my uncle Benjamin Holden Jones I'm ten years old he was outside my uncle's video store uh huh yes, sir okay!" Ben turned to Randal, handing him back the phone, smiling. "Here ya go, uncle Randal!"  
  
"Thanks, Ben." Randal grinned proudly at Ben. "Now, go grab some chips and two cans of root beer. I still need to talk to the officer, okay?"  
  
Ben nodded enthusiastically, then rushed to the back of the store to gather the items.  
  
When Ben was out of hearing range again, Dante loudly grumbled, "Nice one, Randal. Making your own nephew a part of your evil revenge upon Jay Buds."  
  
Randal glared at Dante and flipped his friend off before returning to the phone call.  
  
"Uh yes, I'm still here, sir uh huh okay! Yes, sir no, thank you, sir!"  
  
"Fuckin' ass kisser what the fuck happened to the guy who adored insubordination?" Dante hissed.  
  
Randal reached over, then tossed a can of Pringles potato chips at Dante.  
  
Dante jumped back, becoming pissed at Randal. "What the fuck—?"  
  
Holding a hand over the phone receiver, "Go pull that can out of some moron's fist! Can't you see that I'm on the phone?!"  
  
Dante was about to retort when young Benjamin raced up to Dante, "Dante? You've got some customers"  
  
Dante turned towards the counter and sighed. He patted Ben on the head, "Thanks, kid." And left the kid with his uncle.  
  
Once Randal hung up the phone, he turned to his nephew. "Hey, kiddo, you got the bag of chips and the root beer?"  
  
Ben nodded, "Uh huh! It's on the counter, why?"  
  
"Well," Randal squatted down to Ben's eyes level, "In just a few minutes, we're gonna go outside and watch a live police beat down. I figured we could use some snacks while we're watching. You ready? They're gonna arrive any moment."  
  
"Cool!" Ben grinned, then high fived his uncle.  
  
"Okay!" Randal returned the grin, then turned to Dante, who was just finishing up ringing the last customer. "Hey, Hicks, you coming with us? It's better than Best of Both Worlds.' Huh? In or out?"  
  
Dante shook his head, "Nah, gonna watch the store Who knows what shit could go down if I close this fuckin' place up."  
  
Randal glared at Dante, "Hey!" Covering Ben's ears with his hands, "Keep the profanity away from the kid!"  
  
"You're bringing him outside to watch the cops arrest Jay Phat' Buds, the king of profanity!" Dante pointed out, just as Randal and Ben were near the door.  
  
"Oh." Randal realized, then shrugged. "Oh well kid's got to learn some day I mean, hell, look who he has for an uncle!" He grinned.  
  
As Randal and Ben left the Quick Stop, just as the police sirens approached the scene, Dante shook his head. "Holy shit looks like angelic status is out of the question."  
  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  


MEANWHILE...  
  
"Holy shit is right!" Rufus quipped, turning to Serendipity, who was slowly shaking her head.  
  
"Tell me about it" She replied.  



End file.
